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 - poor software designI would warn anyone to not purchase this game due to the increasing problems I've had with it. I found the game to be a bit plodding over time with no real end goal in sight. As I continued to play the game it began to glitch more frequently and for longer periods of time to the point where the game would not load but would spool without end. I would have to reboot my computer to disengage the game. I tried the downloads from the net, and that didn't help either. I have sufficient memory etc. on my computer and don't believe I have a hardware problem, Windows 98, 128 ram, 600+ pent processor, 100 mhz clock, etc. I believe this is a poorly designed game. I hesitated buying the game based on prior Star Trek game revues which said the same thing that I am writting now. If this is the extint of Interplays software capabilities I won't be buying any of their products in the future, as it would be a waste of money. Oh yea, I am a bit of a Trekkie, enjoy the shows etc. I very much enjoy the Star Wars simms and have purchased all of them. Needless to say they have all performed flawlessly, hoping that the Star Trek game might do the same I gave it a try. Be careful what you buy and good gaming. Rating: - Bad Outweighs the Good for the Casual GamerPlease note from the outset I am approaching this as a casual gamer who was drawn to this game because of my positive experiences with the previous edition. Bottom line: Empires at War offers distinct improvements over the first edition, and glaring problems. First, what was kept: The basic operation of the controls remains the same. There are little quirks that have changed a couple of things, but nothing glaring. Ships remain similar in appearance and function. Second, the improvements. Regenerative shields: if your shields get knocked out, they will regenerate, more accurately reflecting activities of repair crews on the starships. Of course, you have either go to keep your good shields facing the enemy, or keep your distance from an engagement. Of course, your opponent has the same advantage/disadvantage, but it is preferable to the permanently dead shield. Also, if you destroy a ship, unlike in the first game if you sit on top of or close to an opponent when you destroy them you can also be destroyed. Another improvement: Accurate photon torpedoes over a distance. In the previous version, unless you fired point-blank, you often saw half or more of your photon torpedo spread disappear into space. In this version, they are actually an effective weapon over distance, with an appreciably high hit-to-miss ratio. Third - missile defense: Missiles are less effective overall, removing to advantage of the heavy missile cruisers from the previous game. They also come in varied speeds, another good thing. Space Monsters: much more varied - often lethal. They are a great x-factor, and wonderful teachers of caution in an engagement. I ran into one that literally destroyed my ship with a plasma volley in the first exchange. Fleet combat - In skirmish mode, I experimented with fleet maneuvering, and found it a distinct improvement over the prior edition. Ships operate with a number of options in terms of control, and seem more responsive to orders - though not all functions seemed to work as they should. Also, visually, the scenarios are much nicer than the old version. Third, the problems. Where to start? Overall, the gameplay, while in many ways improved (regenerative shields, better torpedoes, greater equity in terms of reduction of the missile effect) is overshadowed by the complexity of gameplay, and overall difficulty presented by the game's progression. One example - Prestige points. While in the first game you had to pay for what you got in terms of supplies and new ships, you could do so in a fashion that assured a steady rise in points that translated into better, stronger ships. In this version, because of the average greater length of battles and commensurate exhaustion of supplies and added repair costs, it is difficult to build significant value. Also, ships lose their value quickly for trade in, and I find I cannot trade a ship in for a new one without first buying the second ship, thereby reducing the prestige points necessary for purchase. Additionally, there is no crew section, where you have officers accruing value that is valuable in trades and/or ship combat effectiveness. Finally, the cost of supplies, as I mentioned, is prohibitive, especially in terms of missiles. Lastly, if you buy something and then decide you don't want it, you can return it but you will not receive the spent value back. This is a glaring weakness in the game, given the increased value of the Capitol ships like Battleships and dreadnoughts. The interfaces, while serviceable, are a step backward in terms of functionality and clarity. While I like having a greater selection of ships (even though it seems nigh impossible to accrue the Prestige Points needed to acquire them), I feel there could have been modified version of the old interface. Still, I admit that right clicking on the ship type to get the schematics is almost as good and provides a quick method of determining value of the ship. Replay is no longer offered. Instead, you're dead and you get to go back to the beginning. Now if you are a serious gamer, I suppose this is no big deal. But for the casual gamer, this is a serious drawback. Also, saves are controlled more by the AI than by the gamer, taking away the feature of being able to branch off in a separate direction and experiment with ships in scenarios. In the end, I won't say don't buy this game. But be warned, in spite of appearances, and some functional improvements, it is not as good, and more important, not as fun. Rating:  - Cool GameThis game is the best!!!... No other game beats it. Rating: - ZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzPlay this game for about 20 minutes if you can't sleep. You'll be out in no time. Rating: - The Best Star Trek Game to dateAdmittedly, I an a big fan of the series, I might be a little biased. But if you really take your time to play this game, you will be biased too! This is one of those games that have everything, Stunning graphics, immense details, and tactical thinkings. you have control of every aspect of you ship, loaded with 1 of 800 possible combination of weapons and secondary systems. you get to tractor someone, board the ship, smash starbases, eveyrthing you can think of. it also has a great multiplayer support and a strong community. Once you get the AI beat, you can then try your luck with human players. it's so very gratifying if you just shoot down someone's Starship, and watch it in flames. However, be aware that this game remains true to its origin, Star Fleet Battles. So it's not exactly what you see on TV. The are specific rules of porbabilities governing everything down to the last possible detail, from the weapon hit% to the success rate of spinning the ship, and that's the beauty of it. This makes commanding the ship an art. For example, the Photons don't hit every time. It has a specifit range v. hit% chart. eg. at range 5~8, photon hit 50% (5 out of 6) This game is based on the Movie era's (somewhere around ST:VI) so there is no Galaxy or Sovereign, only Constitution and Excelsior. Also note this game is played on a 2D plane. NO ramming stuff. If you love Quake and Elite force so much, chances are this ain't for you. but if you love the capital ship tactics (Jane's Fleet Command, Age of Sails 2 (minus the bugs...)) This is definitely for you. Also with the release of version 2006, the Persistent universe (dynaverse2) is online and operational. All the promises on the box have been fulfilled. There are only few system specific problems, and balacing issues left. (which will be addressed, possibly, by further patch) Trek Fans, The time is now! Josh aka 3dot14
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